The pandemic created new challenges, opened fresh opportunities, and shifted the role of downtowns. In many ways, downtowns are as important as ever, according to The Value of U.S. Downtowns and Center Cities, a new report by the International Downtown Association (IDA). “While geographically small — on average 3 percent of all citywide land —…To read more — login/subscribe
Since its launch in 2006, the Big Bright Light Show in Rochester, MI (est. pop. 12,978), has become an annual extravaganza. During the event, store windows are decorated and downtown buildings are covered in more than one million colored lights. “The lights are not an event. They are economic development at its core,” KristiTrevarrow, executive…To read more — login/subscribe
Soliciting funding for downtown projects is part art, and part science. To help grant seekers refine requests, the authors of Winning Grants Step by Step advise answering a series of queries. Those questions, according to authors Tori O’Neal McElrath, Lynn Kanter, and Lynn English are: What community need does the program or service that the…To read more — login/subscribe
Digital signs approved for downtown Large-format digital billboards were on display in downtown Baltimore, MD, in December. The signs showcase local businesses, organizations, artwork, and events. The Downtown Partnership says thatanother nine billboards will be added in 2024. The billboards are in the newly created North Harbor Area of Special Sign Control, which is located…To read more — login/subscribe
For downtown leaders in cold climates, January is a time to hunker down and wait for the spring thaw. The rush of holiday events is over, and many downtowns won’t ramp up attraction efforts until warmer weather arrives. But if you want to spur some activity during the snowy time of year, take heart: Northern…To read more — login/subscribe
In Iowa City, IA (est. pop. 75,231), the Iowa City Downtown District is testing novel ways to serve existing merchants and recruit new ones. In one successful strategy, the Downtown District runs its own delivery service. It leases a vehicle and pays a driver, and deliveries are free from downtown merchants to customers within a…To read more — login/subscribe
As of December, Panama City, FL (est. pop. 34,521), allows visitors to consume alcohol two days a week while strolling through the Downtown Panama City Social District. In November, Panama City commissioners approved the district, which lets people openly carry and consume adult beverages. In a win for day drinking, the rules apply from 10…To read more — login/subscribe
Bike share, e-scooters, and other micromobility vehicles are exploding in popularity across North America — some 130 million trips on micromobility systems were recorded in the U.S. and Canada in 2022, according to a new analysis by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). NACTO’s 2022 Shared Micro Mobility in the U.S. and Canada…To read more — login/subscribe
More than a century ago, merchants and downtown building owners used ads painted on the sides of brick buildings to drive business. From the mid-1800s until about 1950, retailers and consumer brands used these commercial messages to grab shoppers’ attention. The eye-catching signs featured bright colors and bold lettering. The sign-painting boom ended decades ago.…To read more — login/subscribe
